INS Dhruv: Difference between revisions

| Ship image = [[File:VC11184.png|300px|frameless|center]]

| Ship caption =  

| Ship name = ''Dhruv''

| Ship acquired =  

| Ship commissioned = October 2020 (Suspected)

H1 2021 (Planned) (Official)

'''INS Dhruv''' is a [[research vessel]] and [[Tracking ship|missile range instrumentation]] ship built by [[India]]'s [[Hindustan Shipyard|Hindustan Shipyard Limited]] (HSL). The ship was earlier only known by it's shipyard designated yard number as VC-11184.<ref>{{Cite web|title=VC 11184 — Indian Navy's First Ocean Surveillance Ship|url=https://www.indrastra.com/2018/07/VC11184-004-07-2018-0037.html|access-date=2021-03-27|website=www.indrastra.com}}</ref>

 

The purpose of the ship is to support the development of [[Strategic Forces Command|India's strategic weapons]] and the [[Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme]]. The ship can also track strategic missiles and satellites.<ref name="HT_Dhruv"/> In addition, it can also gather electronic intelligence. The keel of the ship was laid on 30 June 2014 at [[Hindustan Shipyard|Hindustan Shipyard Limited]].<ref name="dc-21dec14">{{cite news|last=Ray|first=Kalyan|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/449081/mystery-ship-project-gets-rs.html|title=Mystery ship project gets Rs 725 crore from Centre|work=Deccan Herald|date=21 December 2014|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160706103901/http://www.deccanherald.com/content/449081/mystery-ship-project-gets-rs.html|archivedate=6 July 2016}}</ref> It is being built under a confidential programme which is directly under the control of the [[Prime Minister's Office (India)|Prime Minister's Office]] and the [[National Security Advisor (India)|National Security Advisor]], similar to the [[Advanced Technology Vessel]] (ATV) programme of the Indian Navy.<ref name="jdw-23nov17"/><ref name="dc-21dec14"/> The ship started harbour trials in July 2018 and was expected to undergo sea trials by the end of 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bedi |first1=Rahul |title=India’s ocean surveillance ship starts harbour trials |url=https://www.janes.com/article/82048/india-s-ocean-surveillance-ship-starts-harbour-trials |work=Jane's Navy International |date=27 July 2018 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727201453/https://www.janes.com/article/82048/india-s-ocean-surveillance-ship-starts-harbour-trials |archivedate=27 July 2018}}</ref> {{as of|March 2019}}, sea trials were ongoing.<ref name="hindu-seatrials">{{cite news |last1=Patnaik |first1=Santosh |title=Sea trials of ocean surveillance ship evoke good response |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/sea-trials-of-ocean-surveillance-ship-evoke-good-response/article26562547.ece |date=18 March 2019 |newspaper= The Hindu}}</ref> The ship was delivered to the [[Indian Navy]] in October 2020 quietly<ref name="ETMarch21">{{Cite news|last=Puby|first=Manu|date=2021-03-16|title=India commissions secretive nuclear missile tracking vessel|language=en-IN|newspaper=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/india-commissions-secretive-n-missile-tracking-vessel/articleshow/81517925.cms|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-16|issn=}}</ref> meanwhile official induction expected on first half of 2021.<ref name="HT_Dhruv">{{cite news |title=INS Dhruv that can track satellites, strategic missiles, to join navy soon |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ballistic-missile-tracking-ins-dhruv-to-join-india-s-strategic-assets-in-2021-101615886801327.html |access-date=16 March 2021 |work=Hindustan Times |date=16 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

The ship cost around {{INRConvert|1500|c|lk=on|year=2014}} and has been designed in India by Vik Sandvik Design India.<ref name="dc-21dec14"/> It has a displacement of more than 10,000&nbsp;tonnes, length of 175&nbsp;metre, beam of 22&nbsp;metre, draught of 6&nbsp;metre and can attain a speed of 21&nbsp;knots. It is powered by two imported 9,000&nbsp;kilowatt combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) configuration engines and three 1200&nbsp;kilowatt auxiliary generators.<ref name="jdw-23nov17">{{cite news|last=Bedi|first=Rahul|url=http://www.janes.com/article/75908/india-to-commission-ocean-surveillance-ship-in-2018|title=India to commission ocean surveillance ship in 2018|work=IHS Jane's Defence Weekly|date=23 November 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206205338/http://www.janes.com/article/75908/india-to-commission-ocean-surveillance-ship-in-2018|archivedate=6 December 2017}}</ref><ref name="dc-21dec14"/>

The ship will be fitted with a primary X band and a secondary S band [[active electronically scanned array]] (AESA) radar. In addition, it has a long open deck with ample space for installing multiple missile tracking antennas. It will have a crew complement of 300 personnel and will carry a single helicopter.<ref name="jdw-23nov17"/> The ship will also have a special team from [[National Technical Research Organisation]] on board.<ref name="toi-21nov17">{{cite news|last1=Mehta|last2=Rathod|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/indias-most-advanced-missile-tracking-warship-to-be-handed-to-navy-in-2018/articleshow/61734788.cms|title=India’s most advanced missile-tracking warship to be handed to Navy in 2018|work=The Times of India|date=21 November 2017|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206161958/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/indias-most-advanced-missile-tracking-warship-to-be-handed-to-navy-in-2018/articleshow/61734788.cms|archivedate=6 December 2017}}</ref>

It was reported that VC11184 was secretly commissioned into the service of the Indian Navy in October 2020<ref name="ETMarch21"/> while other reports suggested the official induction was scheduled for first-half of 2021. The ship will be jointly operated by [[National Technical Research Organisation]] (NTRO), [[Defence Research and Development Organisation]] (DRDO) and the [[Indian Navy]].<ref name="HT_Dhruv"/>

* [[DRDO Technology Demonstration Vessel]] - Another missile range instrumentation ship under construction in India

* [http://indiannavy.nic.in/ Official web site Of Indian Navy]

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}